Hasbro

Hasbro is an American toy and game company whose roots reach to 1923, when brothers Herman, Hillel, and Henry Hassenfeld established Hassenfeld Brothers in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The business initially handled textile remnants, then made pencil cases and pencils; its early school-supply work gave rise to the shortened Hasbro name. In 1942, Hassenfeld Brothers was incorporated, and the company later shifted decisively toward toys. A major turning point came in 1964, with G.I. Joe, marketed as an “action figure” rather than a doll. The 11.5-inch military figure and its accessories became a defining product line. Hasbro subsequently created or expanded enduring brands including My Little Pony, first introduced in 1982, and Transformers, launched in 1984. Transformers began as toys based on Takara’s Japanese Diaclone and Micro Change lines, but Hasbro developed the brand with fiction and character names; its animated series and Marvel comic helped establish Optimus Prime and Megatron as central characters. The company entered a new phase in 1984, when it acquired Milton Bradley Company, bringing games such as The Game of Life and Battleship into its portfolio. Its 1999 acquisition of Wizards of the Coast added Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons; Wizards had also acquired Avalon Hill in 1998. Hasbro has also repeatedly used screen entertainment to support its intellectual property. The live-action Transformers film franchise began with Paramount’s 2007 film, directed by Michael Bay. Hasbro Studios launched in 2009, and its programming included Transformers: Prime and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. In 2019, Hasbro bought Entertainment One for about $4 billion, gaining the producer and distributor behind Peppa Pig and other properties. In 2023, Hasbro sold eOne’s film and television business to Lionsgate for approximately $500 million, while retaining rights to Peppa Pig and other Hasbro-owned brands. The company’s games business includes Monopoly, which originated with Parker Brothers in 1935, and Play-Doh, acquired through Hasbro’s 1991 acquisition of Tonka. Nerf joined Hasbro in 1991, when the company purchased Kenner Parker Toys. In 2013, Hasbro acquired the remaining stake in its joint venture with Discovery, later known as Discovery Family. Today, Hasbro is headquartered in Pawtucket and operates through Consumer Products, Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming, and Entertainment divisions. Its 2023 film Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves drew on Wizards’ tabletop game. The company also markets Play-Doh compounds, Nerf blasters, board games, collectible cards, and entertainment tied to franchises that began as physical products.